Friday • January 28, 2005

150 wounded as killers throw 2 grenades on AL rally in Habiganj, Hartal in Habiganj

SAMS Kibria, 5 Awami League men killed in grenade attacks

Former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria and five other Awami League (AL) activists were killed in a grenade attack on an Awami League rally at Boidder Bazar in Habiganj yesterday evening.

About 150 others were injured in the grisly attack, similar to the August 21 carnage on Sheikh Hasina's rally in the capital last year that had claimed 24 lives and left several hundred wounded.

SAMS Kibria's nephew Shah Manjurul Huda, 40, and Awami League activists Siddique Ali, 35, and Abdur Rahim, 50, of Bongaon village and Abul Hossain of Shayestaganj were the four who died in the grisly attack. One Awami League activist died at mid-night later at the hospital.

The Awami League called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal for tomorrow protesting the attack. It blamed the BNP and the Jammat for the carnage and planned a non-stop agitation after the shutdown.

District unit Awami League also called for a daylong hartal today in Habiganj.

Immediately after the attack, critically wounded SAMS Kibria and Habiganj District Awami League General Secretary Abu Jahid were rushed to the capital by an ambulance.

SAMS Kibria died on the way to Dhaka and doctors at Birdem Hospital declared him dead at about 12:30am, soon after he was taken to the hospital.

Kibria's nephew Shah Manjurul Huda, Awami League activists Siddique Ali and Abdur Rahim died on the spot. Abul Hossain who was brought to Dhaka along with three others died at Birdem at about 1:00am.

In instant protest, people torched a ruling BNP office and at least 15 other establishments, vandalizing some of them, in the northeastern district town, 15km off the spot.

Additional police forces were called in to quell the tense situation prevailing in the district.

SAMS Kibria went to Habiganj on Wednesday on an organizational tour. His elder brother Shah Shamsul Huda and nephew Shah Manjurul Huda accompanied him. He spoke as the chief guest at the meeting organized by Laskarpur Union unit of AL.

Namaj-e-Janaza

The namaj-e-janaza of the late Awami League leader will be held today after Juma prayers at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. A decision on his burial will be taken on arrival of his son from abroad.

THE ATTACKS

Witnesses said the first grenade was hurled at the end of the rally at Boidder Bazar Primary School playground when SAMS Kibria was about to board his car after speaking at the rally.

District Awami League Joint Secretary Alamgir said the grenade was hurled at Kibria at about 7:05pm. "It was a close call," he said as Kibria sustained serious injuries all over his body.

Former chairman of Habiganj Pourashava Shahid Uddin Chowdhury, a witness to the grisly incident, told newsmen later that when leaders were getting down from the dais after the meeting, the first grenade was thrown at them and then the second one came when they ran for cover.

Hit by splinters, the former finance minister and others fell to the ground. SAMS Kibria became unconscious sustaining injuries on different parts of his body with his two legs fatally wounded.

He was first rushed to Habiganj Sadar Hospital where resident medical officer Dr Abdullah gave primary treatment to an unconscious Kibria. After consultation with party President Sheikh Hasina, local leaders decided to send him to Dhaka by an ambulance as they failed to manage a helicopter.

The conditions of district Awami League Joint Secretary Alamgir, Organising Secretary Rajan Chowdhury and General Secretary of district Awami Ainjibi Parishad advocate Abdul Ahad Faruq were also reported critical. They along with scores of other wounded Awami League leaders and workers were admitted to Habiganj Sadar Hospital.

At Habiganj Sadar Hospital, where 37 people with splinter injuries were rushed in, was overcrowded with the friends and relations of the victims.

Relatives alleged of lack of proper treatment and absence of doctors at the hospital.

PROTESTS

Hearing the news, Awami League's student, youth and volunteer wings -- Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Jubo league and Swechchhasebak League -- took out a joint protest procession from the party central office on Bongobondhu Avenue in Dhaka.

The protestors later held a rally on the avenue. Swechchhasebak League General Secretary Pankaj Debnath, Dhaka City Awami League Joint Secretary Hazi Selim and BCL President Liakat Sikder addressed the rally, with Jubo League Chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak in the chair.

At last night's emergency meeting of Awami League working committee, the opposition party called for a hartal tomorrow and accused the BNP-Jamaat government for the attack.

The meeting, chaired by Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, deplored the grenade attack and said it was pre-planned to annihilate the political adversaries.

The main opposition party leaders said the attack on Habiganj public meeting was part of a blueprint to kill its leaders and activists.

The August 21 grenade attack in Dhaka and yesterday's one at Habiganj proved that there was no security of life of the opposition leaders, activists and the people in general, they said.

Awami League will also stage demonstrations in the capital this afternoon. The party also sent a delegation led by opposition Chief Whip Abdus Shahid from Dhaka to visit the place of occurrence.

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) and Jatiya Party (Manju) condemned the grenade attack and killing of Kibria and five others.

Source: The Daily Star, January 28, 2005

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